3 days in Baku: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 3 of 9 free; 6 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 3 days, 9:30 to 16:53 each day
- Start and finish
- Maiden Tower → Ateshgah Fire Temple
- On foot
- ≈ 26 min in total
- Transport
- 2 rides, ≈ 1 h 25 min
- Lunch
- around 13:18
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Day two Tuesday to Sunday. Yanar Dag looks best at dusk.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Baku09:30–16:53 · 4 places · 7 h 20 min
Maiden Tower
· 45 min · 19 AZN for foreign visitors
- 3 min on foot
Old City (Icherisheher)
· 3 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 4 min on foot
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
· 1 h 15 min · 24 AZN for foreign visitors
- 16 min on foot
Flame Towers and Highland Park
· 1 h · Free
Day 2 · Baku09:30–15:32 · 3 places · 6 h
Baku Boulevard
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum
· 1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN
- Lunch · 1 h
- 29 min · transport or taxi
Heydar Aliyev Center
· 1 h 30 min · 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN
Day 3 · Baku09:30–12:11 · 2 places · 2 h 40 min
Yanar Dag
· 45 min · 15 AZN foreigners, under-12s free
- 56 min · transport or taxi
Ateshgah Fire Temple
· 1 h · 15 AZN for foreign visitors
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
3 of 9 are free; 6 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Maiden Tower | 52 | 45 min | 19 AZN for foreign visitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Palace of the Shirvanshahs | 45 | 1 h 15 min | 24 AZN for foreign visitors |
| 6 | Azerbaijan Carpet Museum | 37 | 1 h 30 min | 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN |
| 7 | Heydar Aliyev Center | 41 | 1 h 30 min | 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN |
| 8 | Yanar Dag | 29 | 45 min | 15 AZN foreigners, under-12s free |
| 9 | Ateshgah Fire Temple | 28 | 1 h | 15 AZN for foreign visitors |
| Other 3 places | 5 h 30 min | Free | ||
| Total | 12 h 20 min | 3 of 9 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Maiden Tower. A round tower about 28 m high with a museum on eight levels: 19 ₼ for foreigners, open from 10:00.
- 2
Old City (Icherisheher). Icherisheher — a walled town on a hill by the Caspian. Walking is free at any hour; lunch is here too.
- 3
Palace of the Shirvanshahs. A 15th-century complex: the palace, the Divankhana, a mausoleum, a mosque and a bathhouse. 24 ₼ for foreigners, 10:00–19:00.
- 4
Flame Towers and Highland Park. Finish in Highland Park by the three glass towers: a free view over the whole bay.
Day 2
- 5
Baku Boulevard. Day two — the waterfront park along the bay, laid out in 1909. Free at any hour; the Ferris wheel opens at 12:00, 10 AZN.
- 6
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum. A building shaped like a rolled carpet right on the boulevard: 10 AZN for foreigners. Tue–Fri from 10:00, weekends from 11:00, closed on Mondays.
- 7
Heydar Aliyev Center. Zaha Hadid's white wave: the park is free, the museum and exhibitions 15 AZN, from 11:00. Closed on Mondays.
Day 3
- 8
Yanar Dag. Day three — the 'burning mountain' 25–27 km north: a strip of fire about 10 m long. 15 ₼ for foreigners, free under 12, 10:00–19:00. The fire shows best at dusk — you can move it to the end of the day.
- 9
Ateshgah Fire Temple. A fire-worshippers' temple in Surakhani: a courtyard with pilgrims' cells and an altar with a flame. 15 ₼; a joint ticket with Yanar Dag is 25 ₼.
Who this route is for
- First trip to Azerbaijan for 3–4 days
- You want the city and the fires of Absheron
- By metro, bus and taxi
- Mondays — the Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center are closed
- Gobustan is not included — another half day to the south
Day two Tuesday to Sunday. Yanar Dag looks best at dusk.
How to spend 3 days in Baku
Day one is the Old City and Highland Park, day two the boulevard, the Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center, day three a trip to the Absheron peninsula for its two fires. Day three is short — about three hours at the sights, half a day with the drive.
Ateshgah and Yanar Dag are open every day 10:00–19:00. Yanar Dag's fire shows best at dusk: if you go after lunch, start with Ateshgah and leave Yanar Dag for the sunset.
How to get to Ateshgah and Yanar Dag
To Ateshgah: metro to Koroglu, then bus 184 to the last stop, about 35 minutes, or a taxi from the centre in 30–40 minutes. To Yanar Dag: bus 217 from the same station, about 40 minutes, then 0.6–1 km on foot. A taxi is easiest between the two.
A joint ticket for both is 25 ₼ and is valid for 72 hours from the first entry; with the Gobustan mud volcanoes it is 35 ₼.
How to plan the days of the week
Ateshgah and Yanar Dag have no closing day, so day three can fall on a Monday, when the Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center are shut. Yanar Dag is closer to the airport than to the centre — you can fit it in on your arrival or departure day.
Baku for 4–5 days
Add Gobustan — rock art and mud volcanoes 60 km south of Baku, about three hours on site. For a fifth day, Sheki in the Caucasus foothills has its own one-day route.
How to do it right
- The Ateshgah + Yanar Dag joint ticket is 25 ₼ for 72 hours.
- Foreign children under 12 get into Yanar Dag and Ateshgah free.
- The Yanar Dag ticket desk may not take cards — bring manats in cash.
- Azerbaijan uses the manat (AZN, ₼). Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Baku; small cafés and markets in Sheki want cash.
- In summer get to Ateshgah at opening time: the stone courtyard heats up by noon.
Questions
Is 3 days in Baku enough?
Yes for the city and the Absheron fires. Gobustan needs another half day.
What to do in Baku in 3 days?
The Old City and the Flame Towers, then the boulevard, the Carpet Museum and the Heydar Aliyev Center, and on day three Ateshgah and Yanar Dag.
How much does a 3-day trip cost in tickets?
Tower and palace 43 ₼, Carpet Museum 10 AZN, Heydar Aliyev Center 15 AZN, Ateshgah and Yanar Dag 25 ₼ with the joint ticket. Add the metro and taxis.
How do I get to Yanar Dag on my own?
Bus 217 from Koroglu metro, about 40 minutes, then 0.6–1 km on foot. Or a taxi.
How do I get to Ateshgah?
Metro to Koroglu and bus 184 to the last stop, about 35 minutes; a taxi takes 30–40 minutes.
When is the best time to visit Yanar Dag?
At dusk, when the fire shows best. Open daily 10:00–19:00.
Can I combine Ateshgah and Yanar Dag?
Yes, it is one trip to Absheron; a joint ticket for both is 25 ₼.
What about 5 days in Baku?
Add Gobustan with its rock art and mud volcanoes, and Sheki — a day trip or an overnight in the Caucasus foothills.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: foreign children under 12 get into Ateshgah and Yanar Dag free.
Do I need a guide?
No. At Ateshgah you can hire a guide on site: without the story the courtyard takes 15 minutes.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Ateshgah and Yanar Dag reserves: hours and tickets
- Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
- Heydar Aliyev Center
